Created by Cyrus Webb for Shadow Play Entertainment in April 2006, Conversations Magazine is a colorful combination of the arts, entertainment, fashion, food and health. Get exclusive interviews, great tips and suggestions for the entire family. To see how you can be featured or to advertise with Conversations, contact Cyrus Webb at cawebb4@juno.com or 601.896.5616.

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Monday, January 7, 2013

Recording Artist Dan Godlin: Living Life Unafraid

by Cyrus Webb

Discovering your passion is one thing. Letting it guide you in life is another. For recording artist Dan Godlin the release of his album LOVING ON EMPTY is not just a treat for his fans. It's an expression of who he is and what matters to him.

"This album was 3 1/2 years in the making," he told me during our conversation about his career and the new project. "I had gone off to college and found myself out of place there. I decided that I wanted to do something different with my life, something out of the box."

That thinking and living outside the box led him back to is passion: music. "When I was in middle school I dabbled with music," Godlin explained. "I had an ear for good music. Later I got into sports and was really good at that." The time had come, though, when he knew he had to make a choice as to the direction he wanted his life to go in. "I had to make a decision what I wanted to do with my life," he says. "Deep down inside I always knew that music was my passion. It came to a point when I had to share who I was: a musician."

LOVING ON EMPTY is not just a testament to Godlin being a musician. It shares the story of his life through song, something that his fans have really taken to. Getting to this place, though, took some time and hard work. "I went out to Los Angeles and worked really hard, building a solid foundation through networking. Looking back at it now this album is more than anything an accomplishment for me."

He realizes that the message is one that speaks to more than just him. "It's an album that speaks about young love and my relationships. I feel really accomplished, and I'm really excited when other people are able to connect with the music and my lyrics. I feel really respected that way. It's a rewarding feeling."

During our time discussing his career I found out that he enjoys some of the same artists that I listen to. "My main inspiration has been Rob Thomas," Godlin says. "Whether he's with Matchbox 20 or solo he always has the character, stage presence and personality that was really vibrant which I connected with so much. He's an incredible songwriter: everything about him, what he stands for and the way he does music is so inspiring." Another artist that resonates with Godlin is John Meyer. "I always loved his songwriting and his performances are outstanding," he says."

Dan Godlin is now comfortable on the stage, sharing the message of his songs with his audience. Getting to this point has taken some hard work and learning to live life unafraid when it comes to his gift. "It was a very scary transition for me," he says "When I made the move to LA I didn't have any friends out there. I was building from the bottom up. All this work came out in this album. I know see that the album was not the end at all. It's the beginning. This is who I am as an artist. This is just the beginning of my career. All the stuff leading up to this was just preparation. I'm entering into this world and showing people who I am. I'm going to continue to perform, continue to write."

Just as Dan Godlin is a fan of the likes of Rob Thomas and John Meyer, he now has his own fans. I asked him what that has been like. "It's an odd thing," he admits. "There is no transition. It's like you're thrown into it. People become attached to you and your message." Social media has given his fans easy access to him and vice-versa. "Through it you continue that conversation with them. This is a relationship I want to build." With every milestone he reaches, it is becoming more and more real. "It's slowly sinking in that this is my life now," he says. "I'm building this career and fans are what make it. Without listeners there is no use for the music. It's all a process."

So now that he has the world looking in his direction what does Dan Godlin hope comes from the attention? "I want them to think about how the music affects them. Now more than ever it is about the brand. At the end of the day I really just want to write music that people can connect to. I want them to see me as influential in the business. I want to do a lot of different things. I'm more than just an artist."

His advice for other artists is simple: "You gotta write a bunch of bad bad songs until you finally find the good one," he says "The way to really connect with people is to be honest with yourself. If you do that continuously and you write about that then people are going to connect with you. There is no doubt that if you are writing from the heart people are going to connect with you."